Mandevilla plant named &#39;MAN216901&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Mandevilla  plant named ‘MAN216901’, characterized by its upright and vining plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; glossy green-colored leaves; early and freely flowering habit; and large bright white-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Mandevilla sanderi.

Cultivar denomination: ‘MAN216901’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofMandevilla plant, botanically known as Mandevilla sanderi andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘MAN216901’.

The new Mandevilla plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in De Kwakel, The Netherlands. The objectiveof the breeding program is to create new Mandevilla plants with largeand attractive flowers.

The new Mandevilla plant originated from a cross-pollination conductedby the Inventor in De Kwakel, The Netherlands in August, 2011 of aproprietary selection of Mandevilla sanderi identified as code number11-0006, not patented, as the female, or seed parent with a proprietaryselection of Mandevilla sanderi identified as code number 11-0001, notpatented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Mandevilla plant wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant fromwithin the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledgreenhouse environment in De Kwakel, The Netherlands in May, 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new Mandevilla plant by cuttings in acontrolled greenhouse environment in De Kwakel, The Netherlands, sinceAugust, 2014 has shown that the unique features of this new Mandevillaplant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Mandevilla have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘MAN216901’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘MAN216901’ as a new and distinct Mandevillaplant:

-   -   1. Upright and vining plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit.    -   4. Glossy green-colored leaves.    -   5. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   6. Large bright white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the femaleparent selection. Plants of the new Mandevilla differ primarily fromplants of the female parent selection in flower color as plants of thefemale parent selection have light pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the maleparent selection. Plants of the new Mandevilla differ primarily fromplants of the male parent selection in flower size as plants of the newMandevilla have larger flowers than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of Mandevillasanderi ‘Fisrix White’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons,plants of the new Mandevilla differ primarily from plants ‘Fisrix White’in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla flower earlier than plants of        ‘Fisrix White’.    -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla are more freely flowering than        plants of ‘Fisrix White’.    -   3. Plants of the new Mandevilla have larger flowers than plants        of ‘Fisrix White’.    -   4. Plants of the new Mandevilla and ‘Fisrix White’ differ in        flower color as plants of ‘Fisrix White’ have light pink-colored        flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Mandevilla plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe actual colors of the new Mandevilla plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘MAN216901’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typicalflowering plant of ‘MAN216901’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the spring in 19-cm containersin a glass-covered greenhouse in De Kwakel, The Netherlands and undercultural practices typical of Mandevilla commercial production. Duringthe production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 22°C. and night temperatures averaged 18° C. Plants were pinched one timeand were ten months old when the photographs and description were taken.In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Mandevilla sanderi ‘MAN216901’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Mandevilla            sanderi identified as code number 11-0006, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Mandevilla            sanderi identified as code number 11-0001, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 21 days at            temperatures about 22° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 27 days at            temperatures about 22° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 40 days            at temperatures about 22° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 50 days            at temperatures about 22° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous to slightly            fleshy; typically white in color, actual color of the roots            is dependent on substrate composition, water quality,            fertilizers, substrate temperature and physiological age of            roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright and vining plant habit;            vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 50            cm.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 60            cm.        -   Plant diameter (spread).—About 40 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Branching habit: Freely            branching habit with about four primary each with about            three to five secondary lateral branches developing per            plant. Length: About 30 cm to 40 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.            Internode length: About 2 cm to 4 cm. Strength: Strong.            Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy becoming            woody and matte with development. Color, developing: Close            to 143B. Color, developed: Close to 147C; when woody, close            to 177D.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 6 cm to 7 cm.        -   Width.—About 4 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Apex.—Acuminate.        -   Base.—Obtuse.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth,            glabrous; leathery; glossy.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 144A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146C. Full            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 139B; main vein,            close to 143C and lateral venation, close to 139B. Fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B; main vein,            close to 143C and lateral venation, close to 146B.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 1 cm to 1.5 cm. Diameter: About            2 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture and luster, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy. Color, upper and            lower surfaces: Close to 143C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single salverform flowers            arranged in axillary cymes; flowers star-shaped and face            upright to outwardly; freely flowering habit with about            eight to nine flowers per inflorescence and about 180            flowers developing per plant during the flowering season.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously from            late spring into late autumn in The Netherlands; plants            begin flowering about seven months after planting.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About ten to twelve days;            flowers not persistent.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 15 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 15 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 7 cm. Diameter: About 1.2 cm.            Shape: Elongated spindle-shaped. Texture and luster: Smooth,            glabrous; semi-glossy. Color: Close to 145B; towards the            base, close to 145D.        -   Flowers.—Appearance: Flared trumpet, corolla fused and            five-parted. Diameter: About 8 cm to 9 cm. Depth (length):            About 4 cm to 6 cm. Throat diameter: About 1.5 cm. Tube            length: About 4 cm to 5 cm. Tube diameter, distally: About 4            mm.        -   Corolla.—Quantity and arrangement: Five petals arranged in a            single whorl; proximal portion of the petals are fused into            a tube; fee portions imbricate. Petal length: About 4 cm to            4.5 cm. Petal width: About 3 cm to 3.5 cm. Petal shape and            appearance: Roughly spatulate. Petal apex: Acute. Petal            margin: Entire; slightly undulate. Petal texture and luster,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy.            Throat and tube texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Petal,            when opening, upper surface: Initially, close to 145D            becoming closer to 155C with development. Petal, when            opening, lower surface: Close to 155C. Petal, fully opened,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 155C; venation, close to            155C; color does not change with development. Throat: Close            to 2B; venation, close to 2B. Tube: Close to between 2D and            155C; venation, close to 155C.        -   Calyx.—Quantity and arrangement: Five sepals arranged in a            single whorl; calyx, star-shaped. Length: About 5 mm to            8 mm. Diameter: About 6 mm. Sepal length: About 4 mm to            6 mm. Sepal width: About 2 mm. Sepal shape: Subulate. Sepal            apex: Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture and luster,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy.            Sepal color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close            to 145A. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to            145A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3 cm to 4 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm            to 3 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture            and luster: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Strength: Strong. Aspect: About 30° from peduncle axis.            Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color: Close            to 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity and arrangement:            Typically five; basifixed; anthers connivent. Filament            color: Close to 12D. Anther length: About 6 mm to 8 mm.            Anther shape: Narrowly oblong. Anther color: Close to 12D.            Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 12D.            Pistils: Quantity: Typically one. Pistil length: About 1 cm            to 1.5 cm. Style color: Close to 150B. Stigma shape:            Club-shaped. Stigma color: Close to 150D. Ovary color: Close            to 144A.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production have not been            observed on plants of the new Mandevilla.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have not    been noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Mandevilla plants.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have been    observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from 1° C. to 45° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Mandevilla plant named ‘MAN216901’as illustrated and described.